The present invention relates to a keyboard device which is used for information processing apparatus or the like, and particularly to a keyboard device for changing over two functions affected by certain keys of a keyboard, or changing over validation/invalidation of the input of certain keys.
Conventionally, keyboards used for information processing apparatus are required to dispose efficiently necessary keys in a limited space, or to prevent miss operation of key inputting. For this effect, in certain keyboard devices, a key is eliminated by replacing the function of that key with simultaneous press of a plurality of another keys, or a same key is used for several functions by changing over bra select key, as described in an unexamined Japanese Utility Model Publication No. SHO 59-151328, namely 151328/1984.
On the other hand, an unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. HEI 04-354012, namely 354012/1992, discloses a keyboard device for changing over the key arrangement by a switching key, wherein a combined input of a plurality of desired key invalidates input from the switching key, and thereafter, even when the switching key is pressed in the following input, the input will be cancelled in order to avoid miss input.
In the prior art mentioned above, the function changeover of certain keys is performed by pressing the switching key, and the cancellation of this switching key is also executed by the combined input of a plurality of keys.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to perform automatically the function changeover of certain key, valid/invalid setting of switching key, prevention of miss input of certain keys, or the like, without pressing a specific key.
Other objects of the present invention will become clear as the description proceeds.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a keyboard device for key inputting by selecting any one of two functions affected by certain keys on a keyboard, wherein whether hands of a user are present at the home position is detected by a sensor, and one of the two functions affected by the certain keys is selected based on the result of the detection by the sensor.
The certain keys may be ten-key section provided with numeric input function and cursor shift function.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a keyboard device for key inputting by selecting any one of two functions affected by certain keys on a keyboard, comprising: a sensor for detecting whether hands of a user are present at the home position; a function switching key to select one of the two functions by pressing a key; a sensor validating/invalidating switch to changeover the validationl invalidation of the detection result of the sensor; and a control section for selecting the function according to the detection result of the sensor when the sensor validating/invalidating switch is validated, and by the function switching key when the same is invalidated.
The certain keys may be ten-key section provided with numeric input function and cursor shift function.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a keyboard device for key inputting by selecting any one of two functions affected by certain keys on a keyboard, comprising: a function switching key to changeover the function to be selected each time when it is pressed down; a sensor, which is active (ON state) when hands of a user are present at the home position and inactive (OFF state) when they are not at the home position; and a control section for monitoring respective events of press-down of the function switching key, transitions from ON state to OFF state of the sensor and from OFF state to ON state of the sensor, and selecting alternatively the two functions, each time when one of events occurs.
The certain keys may be ten-key section provided with numeric input function and cursor shift function.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a keyboard device, comprising: a first group of keys provide on a keyboard; a sensor for detecting whether hands of a user are present at the home position of this first group of keys; a second group of keys provided on this side opposite to the first group of keys taking the sensor as border; and a control section for monitoring the detection result of the sensor and disabling the input by the second group of keys while the sensor detect hands.
The second group of keys may include at least one of a group of numeric input keys and a group of cursor shift keys.
According to further another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a keyboard device, comprising: a first group of keys provide on a keyboard; a left hand sensor for detecting whether the left hand of a user is present at the left hand home position of the first group of keys; a right hand sensor for detecting whether the right hand of a user is present at the right hand home position; a second group of keys provided on this side left opposite to the first group of keys taking the left hand sensor as border; a third group of keys provided on this side right opposite to the first group of keys taking the right hand sensor as border; and a control section for monitoring the detection result of the left hand sensor and the right hand sensor and disabling the input by the second group of keys while the left hand sensor detect the hand and disabling the input by the third group of keys while the right hand sensor detect the hand.
The second or third group of keys may be group of numeric input keys.
The second or third group of keys may be group of cursor shift keys.